The 'Are they in the room with us right now?' meme stems from a common phrase used by mental health professionals to address individuals experiencing auditory or visual hallucinations. It evolved into a viral internet sensation used primarily to mock people who invent imaginary enemies or 'shadowbox' against non-existent arguments. The format usually implies that the person being addressed is delusional or obsessed with a phantom grievance. It gained peak popularity on platforms like Twitter and Reddit as a sharp, sarcastic response to rants that seem entirely disconnected from reality.